Eaton is retired from the Army and was a board member at the now-disbanded Bexar Metropolitan Water District. “It's not so much that I think I'm going to run for the school board and make everything right, but there are some things that I think could be more transparent,” she said.

A grandmother of two Judson students, Eaton said she supports the district's current bond proposal because the need for a new high school is acute, but she remains concerned that some previous bond projects came in over budget, and says she would keep a close eye on bond spending as a trustee.

She's also concerned about improving the district's graduation rate and keeping class sizes manageable. Reached by phone, Flores, an accountant seeking his third board term, said he had no time to discuss his candidacy.

District 4 representative Jose Macias, 42, is defending his seat against a challenge from political newcomer Arturo Salinas, 61.

“I'm just a regular citizen who got tired of the way things are run in Judson ISD,” said Salinas, who is retired from the Air Force. He said his friend and board member Steve Salyer encouraged him to run. “I figured I can sit here and cry or try to do something about it.”

Salinas said he is concerned that a “dysfunctional” school board attracts too much negative attention and makes families reluctant to move to the district, which in turn hurts property tax revenues. He said he wants to see the district address crowding on its campuses and do more to provide competitive teacher salaries.

The district's Salinas Elementary, named after Salinas' late son Ricardo, is one of three schools that would see decreased enrollment if voters approve the district's bond proposal.

Salinas noted that his opponent, Macias, voted against putting the bond proposal on the May ballot.

Macias said he believes the bond is “absolutely” necessary, but voted against putting it on the May ballot because it had no provision requiring a third-party audit of bond spending.

“I made a pledge when I ran in 2010 to bring greater transparency to the district,” he said.

Macias, a manager for online fundraising and communications at the American Diabetes Association, is seeking his second term. He called it “unfair” to characterize normal give and take on the board as dysfunction, adding, “I think it's really part of a team process.”

The parent of a district student, Macias said he wants to encourage greater community involvement in Judson ISD and push for more emphasis on college and career readiness, including an increase in the number of students who take college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT.

Salinas said that if re-elected, he will push for teacher raises and increased community involvement in Judson schools. A retired district employee, he said his experience as an educator makes him well-suited to serve on the board.

But Harris said Salinas is among several trustees “stacked with personal agendas,” alleging that his opponent is focused on protecting the career of his daughter, Kirby Middle School principal Melinda Salinas, and that he remains disgruntled about the 2008 departure of former district administrator Luis Rodriguez. As a result, Harris said, Salinas doesn't support the district's superintendent, Willis Mackey.

Salinas brushed aside the allegations.

“He does not know the relationship that I have with my superintendent,” Salinas said of Harris. “Dr. Mackey is doing the best job he can under the circumstances, under the budget constraints that we've had.”

A meeting facilitator for Child Protective Services, Harris served 10 years on the board before losing an at-large seat to former ally June Adair in 2011.

He styled himself a reluctant candidate trying to bring some cohesion to the board, and who tried unsuccessfully to encourage younger people to run for office instead.

“All I've ever done is try to be innovative and bring forward some new ideas that will last longer than me,” said Harris, adding that as a trustee he had pushed for creation of the district's Judson Early College Academy.

Both men said they support the district's current bond proposal, which would allow construction of a new elementary school and high school to relieve crowding at Converse and Salinas elementaries and at Judson High School.

Voters rejected a 2010 bond proposal, with many taxpayers still smarting after several projects from the district's 2006 bond went awry. But Mackey said it's time for voters to give the district another chance.

The bond would not require a tax rate increase, partly because the district has been able to refinance previous bond debt, he said.

“We have three schools that are overcrowded, tremendously overcrowded, and we need to do something,” he said.

In District 2, incumbent Richard LaFoille, 74, is unopposed in his bid for a fourth term. Would-be challenger Tomas Rivera, 35, was not placed on the ballot because of paperwork deficiencies.